Chapter 1228 It’s Done

The family elders looked at each other, not saying a word.

If it were an ordinary junior, they would definitely scold them without Shao Jing saying anything. However, it was Princess Chen, so no one dared to offend her.

Shao Wanru looked at Shao Jing’s gloomy face, smiled slightly, and answered lightly, “Second Uncle, Third Aunt is in poor health. We can’t go against her will. It’s indeed inappropriate for Madam Lu to marry into the mansion at this time. If it weren’t for… in fact, I also wish to improve the reputation of Marquis Xing’s Mansion.”

The third branch could separate from the family, but the first branch and the second branch couldn’t.

Shao Jing still possessed the title of nobility of the mansion, but the title of heir of Duke Xing was held by the first branch, which meant that the first branch and the second branch couldn’t separate from the family.

“Do you mean that the first branch also needs to separate from the family?” Shao Jing asked in a sharp voice.

Qing’er’s face darkened. Marquis Xing was blaming her master.

Shao Wanru waved her hand gently, indicating that Qing’er should not act rashly. She looked up slightly and said with a deep look, “Second Uncle, I just said that I agreed with Third Aunt to separate from the family, but you asked me about the first branch. Do you think that the two siblings of the first branch are an eyesore?”

Her words were extremely sharp. Shao Wanru looked gloomy with her deep eyes.

She and her brother were the only members of the first branch, so she could indeed speak on behalf of Shao Yuanhao.

Shao Jing calmed down and suppressed the anger in his heart. Originally, he thought it was just a formality, but now he couldn’t control his anger for a while.

“I was wrong, Your Highness,” Shao Jing said.

Shao Wanru looked relaxed and said, “What do you think, Second Uncle? Are you going to keep the third branch in the family and force Third Aunt to death?”

“Second Brother, our third branch has to separate from the family, and we must do it. The third branch can’t afford such damage to its reputation! The children of your second branch have been married, and now only the children of our third branch… have not been engaged yet. If… I just die, what… what should I do about their marriage?”

Third Madam cried and coughed hard, covering her chest with her hands. She coughed so hard that she almost couldn’t breathe. The servant girls on both sides hurriedly helped her pat her chest. Finally, they saw her recover. “Second Brother, please grant my wish.”

Seeing that Third Madam was still thinking about her children even in such a state, Third Master Shao felt sad for a moment. The children of the third branch were indeed not engaged. If something terrible happened to Third Madam, her daughters would need to stay single for three years to mourn her, and they couldn’t afford to wait like that. If their marriage stayed postponed like this, would they still get married?

Thinking of this, Third Master Shao also knelt with a thud. “Mother, Second Brother, please allow our third branch to separate from the family. Second Brother, you’ve gone this far for one daughter. I also have two daughters!”

He was talking about the mistress’s daughter of Shao Jing.

As soon as Madam Jiang died, Shao Jing insisted on bringing a mistress into the mansion. Third Master Shao felt that the main reason was the mistress’s daughter. It was said that the mistress’s daughter was not young anymore, and it was the best time for her to get married. It would be bad if her marriage was delayed any longer. The reason why Shao Jing ignored that Madam Jiang’s coffin was kept in a temporary shelter before burial and insisted on letting his mistress marry into the mansion must be that mistress’s daughter.

Third Master Shao thought that Shao Jing was not the kind of person who would be bewitched by a woman. He had gone this far by now, and he was not doing it for just his mistress.

Third Master Shao was right about that.

Shao Yanru pretended to be dead and left the Palace. This was the only chance for her to return to Marquis Xing’s Mansion. How could she let go of this opportunity? If she got to be the legitimate daughter of Marquis Xing’s Mansion, even if the mansion declined, she would at least be more honorable than a mistress’s daughter with a promising future.

Third Madam held the hand of the servant girl and said with difficulty, “Mother, Second Brother, please grant my wish!” Her voice became lower and lower.

On the couch, Old Madam tried her best to move her hands and feet, and her eyes were full of hatred. She couldn’t wait to kill Third Madam at the moment, but she couldn’t do anything. She could only struggle to make a sound to remind others of their anger.

However, her resentment was not noticed by everyone present.

Everyone’s eyes were fixed on Third Master Shao and Third Madam.

Shao Wanru looked up at the stunned elders and asked softly, “What do you think, elders?”

“Well… well…” The elders were very helpless. Things had changed so fast that they had never expected that Third Madam would be so decisive.

An elder stroked his long beard and said slowly, “Well… we’d better consider carefully before making a decision!”

“When will it be decided? Even if we can afford to wait, Third Aunt’s current situation… Second Uncle can’t wait, not to mention her current situation…” Shao Wanru stared at the elder who had spoken with her cold eyes.

The elder’s hands trembled and he lowered his head. He couldn’t answer.

Third Madam was in a bad situation, and she might even die on the spot. If something terrible happened to her, who could bear the responsibility?

There was nothing wrong with the mistress of the second branch, but she couldn’t wait to marry into the mansion. Third Madam was in such a state, how could they keep her from getting what she wanted? No one could tell if she would die on the spot due to her worry.

“Second Brother, I’m begging you, please allow us to separate from the family. If you don’t, she… she…” Third Master Shao was so anxious that sweat broke out on his forehead. He could tell at a glance that Third Madam was in a bad situation and her whole body softened. He took over Third Madam from the servant girl and said in a loud voice, “Second Brother, your daughter and my daughters all matter. It’s just a mistress. Do you really want to force your sister-in-law to death for a mistress? If so, we might as well all die here since your two nieces can’t get married no matter what.”

Third Master Shao usually fooled around and didn’t care much about Third Madam, but now he was furious since he noticed that Third Madam couldn’t hold on any longer.

Shao Jing gritted his teeth in anger. In the past, his useless brother didn’t dare to talk to him like this. But now, he dared to provoke him like this.

“Second Uncle, please let go of Third Uncle and Third Aunt!” Shao Wanru said coldly.

The others were all juniors and did not dare to speak. She was different. With her status, even if she spoke, no one could do anything to her.

“Okay… okay, okay. The third branch shall separate from the family.” Shao Jing almost squeezed the words out of his teeth. He couldn’t let others say that he had forced his sister-in-law to death because of the matter of his mistress. Third Madam was not like Madam Jiang, and she had a good reputation although she had not been a powerful figure in Marquis Xing’s Mansion for so many years, and Old Madam didn’t take her seriously.

But she did great outside the mansion. If something terrible really happened to her, Third Master Shao would probably make a scene, and Shao Wanru here would not let Shao Jing get away.

Shao Jing took a deep breath and suppressed the anger in his mind. He had to have the third branch separate from the family even though he didn’t want to.

Third Madam was making a scene despite her serious illness. When she heard Shao Jing agree, her whole body softened. “Thank you, Second Brother!” After saying that, she fainted in Third Master Shao’s arms.

Third Master Shao was so anxious that his face changed greatly. He immediately sent someone to call a doctor. Fortunately, Third Madam had a regular doctor, who came over soon.

Shao Jing didn’t care about his sister-in-law. He just said with a cold face, “Third Brother, are you really going to separate from the family? After that, you will just be an ordinary family and no longer belong to Marquis Xing’s Mansion.”

“Don’t worry, Second Brother. I know that. Thank you for your understanding!” Third Master Shao only wanted to separate from the family now. He didn’t want to make such a scene. At present, he could only grit his teeth and beg to separate from the family at all costs.

He had always been afraid of Shao Jing. At this time, he was not afraid at all and refused to give in.

At this point, no matter what Shao Jing said, it was useless. The elders and Shao Wanru of the first branch were also there. Shao Jing calmed down and divided the things of the third branch with Third Master Shao.

Old Madam was so angry that she fainted. Zhao Xiran accompanied her into the inner room and asked a doctor to treat her.

Shao Wanru couldn’t leave at this time because she represented the first branch.

This time, the third branch asked to separate from the family. Logically speaking, the three branches were supposed to do it together. However, because of the uniqueness of the first branch and second branch, and the fact that the third branch proposed to be separated, there was no objection.

The reason why the third branch took the initiative to leave was that Shao Jing wanted to let a mistress enter the mansion. The elders were present, so Shao Jing couldn’t really treat the third branch unfairly. As for Shao Wanru, she was also very generous and said that they should give more things to the third branch. Third Madam was in poor health, and Third Master Shao wasn’t capable. Besides, Shao Caihuan and Shao Cailing hadn’t been married yet, and they would need a dowry in the future.

In short, the third branch was given a lot of benefits.

Seeing these benefits, Shao Jing couldn’t say anything, feeling angry and annoyed.

Shao Wanru had agreed, and she had offered to compensate the third branch. As Third Master Shao’s second brother, Shao Jing certainly couldn’t be stingy. This made him feel more and more that it was good to let E’niang marry into the family.

If E’niang had already married into the family, it would be impossible for him to suffer such a big loss. The second branch lacked an elder who was in charge of the inner court. As a man, he couldn’t argue with his niece here.

Shao Hua’an was also a man, so it was inappropriate for him to argue. Although Zhao Xiran was Sister Zhao, her status was much inferior to Princess Chen’s.

Therefore, Shao Jing divided the third branch with grievance and annoyance.

After learning that the third branch had separated from the family, Shao Caihuan and Shao Cailing were very calm and asked their servants to pack up the things in their courtyard. The third branch would not live in Marquis Xing’s Mansion in the future. They were given a big house with a good location and a large area on the street. This was the compensation given to the third branch by Marquis Xing’s Mansion that Shao Wanru had proposed.

Originally, Shao Jing didn’t intend to give this house to the third branch. Since Shao Wanru proposed it, he could only agree.

Marquis Xing’s Mansion was in chaos. The servants of the third branch were busy moving things out, and some of them went to clean up the house. For a time, it seemed that there was no funeral but a lively event, which attracted some people outside the mansion to inquire about the news carefully.

The people who came in and out were basically the servants of the third branch, who used to be despised in the mansion. At this time, when they heard that the third branch had been separated and benefited a lot, they were in a good mood since they would no longer be treated badly. So they spread the news in full when asked by others.